Chapter 9: From War to Peace The Big Picture: The end of the war

brought peace to Americans, but not peace of mind. Dangers seen and unseen troubled the nation-until a new president in the white house and a booming economy seemed to smooth the transition from war to peace.

Section 1: Postwar Havoc

Learning Objectives for this section: Examine the events and ideas that led to

attacks on civil liberties and responses to those attacks

Bellringer

How did peace in Europe bring death to the United States? Following World War I a deadly wave of influenza spread around the world in 1918 and 1919. The epidemic eventually infected 1 of every 4 Americans. It took an especially heavy toll on people who were otherwise in the prime of life. To slow the spread of the disease, public gathering places were closed for months. As the winter of 1919 passed, the number of new cases dropped. The epidemic killed 675,000 Americans, 10 times as many as had died fighting the war. Yet the fear and unease seemed to remain for sometime afterward.

Review Questions

How do you think the influenza virus spread around the world following World War I?

Why would a flu epidemic cause lasting fear and unease?

Main Idea: Although the end of WW I brought peace, it didn’t ease the minds of many Americans who found much to fear in postwar years.

How did Europe bring death to the United States?

Flu found breeding ground in the close quarters of the trenches and military camps.

When soldiers came home, parades and celebrations were held to honor returning soldiers.

Soon many Americans were dying Targeted adults in their 20’s and 30’s

The First Red Scare U.S. faced not only a medical scare

but also economic and political problems

Demand for products suddenly fell As a result, people, especially

returning soldiers had difficulty finding jobs

Movement of 100% Americanism grew

The Rise of The Bolsheviks

Revolution in Russia overthrew democracy and set up comunist government Was led by Vladimir Lenin and his Red

Army of the Bosheviks Communism: a system of government

in which there is no social class and no private property

American Reaction Americans were afraid and didn’t

understand Communism Communism is the polar opposite of

capitalism and its opportunities Lenin predicted that communism would

inspire workers to revolt and crush capitalism

Americans viewed this as a threat Communist parties were formed after World

War I in the United States

Red Scare: widespread fear of communism

Much of the red scare was caused by Yellow journalism

5 legislators from New York who were elected as members of the socialist party were banned from office

New York also tried to pass a law that made it illegal to call for an overthrow of the government.

The Palmer Raids

A. Mitchell Palmer became a leader in the anti-communist movement

Palmer Raids: attacks on suspected radicals in the United States

Aliens: citizens from other countries Could be deported: removing an alien

from one country and sending him another country

By 1919 Palmers forces had arrested thousands of suspected radicals and deported 250 Americans

Eventually the Red Scare died down as it became clear the threat from communists would not come true.

Focus Question #1

What were the causes and effects of the first Red Scare Causes: fear of communism, formation of

communist parties in the U.S. , exagerated newspaper reports

Effects: becomes a crime to talk about overthrowing the government, socialists barred from office, Palmer raids, aliens deported

Labor Strife Grow 4 million workers took part in 3,000 strikes During the war, laborers won many rights &

President Wilson worked hard to protect workers After the war, President Wilson shifted his focus to

promoting his peace plan, workers wanted more rights, jobs were scarce because demand was down

Employers were suspicious of workers because of the red scare and call for workers to revolt

Unions lost members and power

Major Strikes of the Era

Seattle General Strike of 1919 Started in shipyards, but spread to other

industries Resulted in shutdown of the entire city This strike actually hurt workers b/c they didn’t

gain anything, but drove companies away Boston police (1919)

Protested low wages and poor work conditions Governor Calvin Coolidge called in militia to end

it

United Mine Workers Strike Pleadge no strikes during the war, but

afterward went on strike for better wages

Reading Focus Question #2

How did labor strife grow during th postwar years? Thousands of labor strikes in 1919,

Boston police strike, governor called in militia, other strikes in steel and industry

Limiting Immgration Competition between older immigrants and

newer immigrants grew Targeted Catholics and Jews Government passed laws limiting

immigration in 1921 National Origins Act of 1924 set quotas for

each country Goals was to reduce immigrants from certain

countries (mostly Eastern and Southern European countries)

Ku Klux Klan originally targeted African Americans, but broadened its target to include Jews and Catholics

Sacco and Vanzetti

In 1920 Sacco and Vanzetti 2 Italian immigrants were arrested for armed robbery

They were Anarchists: radicals who seek to destroy the government

Despite weak evidence, they were found guilty and executed

Reading Focus Question #3

How did the United States limit immigration after WW I? In 1921 laws established immigration

quotas In 1924 The National Origins Act set even

stricter quotas Almost eliminated immigration from

Asian countries

Review Questions Section 1 What problems faced the U.S. after WW I? Why do you think capitalism is considered

fundamental to American life? How did the U.S. government react to the Red

Scare? What caused the Red Scare to die down? What were some of the gains laborers made

during WW I? How did immigrants before and after 1900 differ?

Section 2: A New Economy

Learning Objectives for this section Discuss mass production, urban growth,

new technologies and their effect on the United States

Bell ringerHow did the Department store create an American

tradition? In 1824 the American economy was on the rise, spurred by the sale of consumer goods. In the middle of that buying spree was Macy Department store of New York City. That year, a number of Macy’s employees came up with the idea of holding a parade to celebrate the Christmas holiday. The parade featured several hundred employees, bands, clowns, and live animals. A quarter million potential shoppers watched as dozens of horses pranced by, each draped with Macy’s logo. The parade soon became an annual tradition.

Review Questions

How might the Macy’s parade bring consumers into the store to shop?

In your opinion, is the Macy’s parade a holiday tradition or an advertising gimmick?

Main Idea: New products, new industries, and new ways of doing business expanded the economy in the 1920’s, although not everyone shared in the prosperity

Ford Revolutionizes Industry In the early 1900’s Henry Ford makes a

commitment to produce a vehicle for the “multitudes”

Ford studies the moving belts of meatpacking factories and interchangeable parts

Ford hired scientists to produce the first large scale assembly line:a production system in which the item being built along a conveyor belt to various workstations

New cars sold for $500, half the cost of the original Model T’s

By the 1920’s Ford was producing a car every minute

In response to his success, Ford raised workers salaries to $5 per day (encouraging them to buy cars)

Ford was against unions, and was ruthless to anyone who tried to organize a union

During 1920’s half of all cars were Fords Chrysler and GM also began building cars http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz7mOlr

0s6Y Different industries began to use the

assembly line concept Caused an increase in productivity: how

much is produced per unit of labor Led to the increase of welfare capitalism:

system of providing benefits to workers to increase worker satisfaction

Reading Focus Question #1

What role did the Ford Motor Company play in revolutionizing American industry? It played a major role, it created the

assembly line and mass production, & led to increased worker wages

Industry Changes Society

Increase in car production led to increase in other industries (steel, rubber, glass, gas stations, repair, motels, restaurants)

Cities of Detroit and Akron grew Suburbs: smaller towns outside of

cities also grew

Reading Focus Question #2

How did the auto industry and the nation change during the 1920? Amazing growth in auto industry,

increased demand for steel, glass, rubber, & gasoline, boom in the travel industry, cities and suburbs grew

The New Consumer Industries were producing new

electrical appliances like vacuums, refrigerators, & radios

Families listened to the radio together at night, radios brought news from around the world as well as listen to radio shows

Passenger Airplanes began: were uncomfortable, cold, unpressurized

Creating Demand

Persuasive advertising encouraged consumers to buy.

Began advertising in newspapers as well as sponsored radio shows

New Ways to Pay In the early 1900’s buyers paid cash

for items In the 1920’s buyers turned to

installment buying: paying for an item over time in small payments, they bought items of credit: borrowing money

By the end of the 1920’s 90% of goods bought were bought on credit

Reading Focus Question #3

What were some of the qualities of the new consumers of the 1920’s? Eager to buy new electronic devices ,

bought on credit

Weakness in the economy

After the war, demand for agricultural products dropped, farmers suffered

U.S. government placed a tariff on foreign agricultural products

Infestation of weevils damaged cotton crops

Mississippi River flooded in 1927, killing more that 1000 and leaving many more homeless

Florida faced a massive hurricane

Reading Focus Question #4

What were some of the weak parts of the economy in 1920’s? Farming, hurricanes, floods

Section 3: The Harding & Coolidge Presidencies

Learning Objectives: Discuss the policies of the three

presidents

Bell RingerHow did one word help Waren G. Harding become

president? In May 1920, Republican Warren G. Harding was not the leading candidate for president. The he made a campaign speech that would help him win the presidency. His speech was a stirring call for healing, restoration, and “normalcy.” He meant that the nation should return to the way it was before WW I. The post-war years had featured political conflict, hard times, and even fear of revolution. For many Americans, the past and the future seemed frightening and uncertain. Harding’s call for normalcy helped him win the election by a landslide.

Review Questions

Why would people want to return to the way things were before the war instead of moving forward?

What is normalcy?

The Harding Presidency

As Wilson’s Presidency came to an end, Republicans hoped to win back the Presidency

Harding was not the Republican’s 1st choice until he created the normalcy slogan.

Harding won by a landslide

Harding’s Policy Was more interested in leisure than

governing Wanted to reduce government and

reduce the budget Cut taxes for wealthy due to the belief

that the wealthy created the nation’s wealth & by easing taxes, business would grow, and the nation would prosper

For farmers, Harding passed tariffs on foreign agricultural products, thereby raised prices of domestic farm products

Appointed Andrew Mellon, a multimillionaire businessman to reform tax system

Secretary of the Interior, Albert Fall, accepted bribes from oil companies to allow them to drill on National Reserves (Teapot Dome)

Other members of Coolidge’s posts also took bribes

Harding died of a heart attack while in office

Was popular when he died, but over time, the corruption of his government soured his reputation

Reading Focus Question #1

What political events and ideas marked the Harding presidency? Pro-business policies, Tariff against

agricultural products, teapot Dome scandal

The Coolidge Presidency

Was Harding’s vice-president, but was sworn in after his death

Coolidge was raised in a modest conservative family in Vermont

Was governor of Massachusetts during the police stretch

When he became President, got rid of all officials suspected of corruption

Was Coolidge also believed in limited government and the strength of business to promote a strong national economy

Also supported tax breaks for the rich and reducing national budget

Was characterized as a quiet no-nonsense president

Reading Focus Question #2

What political events and ideas marked the Coolidge Presidency? Pro-business policies, limited

government involvement in business and industry

The Lingering Effects of WW I During the War, European countries

had borrowed more than $10 billion U.S. expected repayment after the

war, but European countries had difficulty repaying

European nations demanded reparations: payments designed to make up for the damage of the war, from Germany

Germany was unable to pay the Allies, who were then unable to pay back the United States.

United States responded by lending money to Germany so that they could pay the allies

Washington Naval Conference Public wanted decrease in military size to

save $ and reduce the threat of war, however the U.S. was afraid of an arms race: competing nations build up more and more weapons in an effort to avoid one nation gaining an advantage

U.S. organized the Naval Conference in 1921, invited all major naval powers

Resulted in agreement that major countries would not compete for control of China

Billy Mitchell argues for air power

Mitchell led the air combat operations in WW I

Argued for increasing air power Was combative and argumentative

with government officials Resulted in him leaving the military

Kellogg-Briand Pact U.S. had refused to join the League of

Nations France proposed a separate treaty

with U.S. that would outlaw war between the 2 countries

Kellogg-Briand Pact resulted: a peace treaty involving 60 nations There was no means to enforce the

treaty

Reading Focus Question #3

What were the lingering effects of WW I on politics of the 1920’s? U.S. had to loan $ to Germany, U.S. navy

reduced its size, Kellogg-Briand Pact was signed.

CST Practice Question

The revival of the Ku Klux Klan and the establishment of immigration quotas in the 1920s resulted from thea. The rise of nativismb. Growth of labor strifec. Unionization of workersd. Increase in production demands

Answer:

The revival of the Ku Klux Klan and the establishment of immigration quotas in the 1920s resulted from thea. The rise of nativismb. Growth of labor strifec. Unionization of workersd. Increase in production demands

CST Practice Question

After World War I, Communism and other radical ideas that threatened the American norms led to the red scare anda. Renewed confidence in labor unionsb. The start of the Bolshevik revolutionc. An attack known as the Palmer raidsd. Greater understanding between earlier

and more recent immigrants

Answer:

After World War I, Communism and other radical ideas that threatened the American norms led to the red scare anda. Renewed confidence in labor unionsb. The start of the Bolshevik revolutionc. An attack known as the Palmer raidsd. Greater understanding between earlier

and more recent immigrants

CST Practice Question Both Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge

would most likely agree with a. Promoting business and limiting government

regulatory powerb. Limiting big business and funding more

public works projectsc. Increasing government oversight and strictly

enforcing business regulationsd. Supporting the nation’s farmers & regulating

business when it conflicts with public interest

Answer: Both Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge

would most likely agree with a. Promoting business and limiting government

regulatory powerb. Limiting big business and funding more public

works projectsc. Increasing government oversight and strictly

enforcing business regulationsd. Supporting the nation’s farmers & regulating

business when it conflicts with public interest